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Ad film-maker. Screenplay writer. Film director. Pradeep Sarkar wore many hats throughout his career and excelled at each one. The film-maker who breathed his last on March 24, had many critically acclaimed and commercially successful movies such as ‘Parineeta’, ‘ Mardaani’ etc to his name.

An alumnus of Delhi College of Art, Sarkar enjoyed a long-stint as a successful ad man. He had worked on more than 3000 ad films. He created iconic advertisements such as 'Pappu pass ho gaya' (Cadbury), 'Give Me Red' (Eveready), 'Chinese Whisper' (Catch Masala), and others.

Sarkar was also a celebrated music video director. Some of his most well-known music videos include Shubha Mudgal's 'Ab Ke Saawan,' Bhupen Hazarika's 'Ganga,' and others. He also directed the song 'Chhan Chhan' from the 2003 hit film 'Munna Bhai MBBS'.

Sarkar was one of the few directors who was able to bridge the gap between uber-realistic 'art' film and commercial cinema. Often compared to Bengali auteurs like Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Bimal Roy, Sarkar’s films were high on aesthetics without compromising their emotional core.

This was his directorial debut. Based on Bengali novelist Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay's 1914 novella of the same name, this movie is hailed as one of the best Bollywood period films. This also marked Vidya Balan’s silver screen debut. The movie was praised for successfully recreating 1960s Kolkata. Two decades later, the movie is still a visual treat that tugs at your heartstrings.

This slow-burn melodrama traced the journey of a ‘fallen woman’ from marginalisation to acceptance in mainstream society. Starring an ensemble cast that included big names such as Rani Mukerji, Konkona Sen Sharma, Abhishek Bachchan, etc, the movie revolved around a semi-literate woman who is forced to take up the world’s oldest profession to support her family. The film bombed at the box office, but the sensitive portrayal of escorts' lives was praised.

This offbeat love story starring Deepika Padukone and Neil Nitin Mukesh revolved around the slow-burn romance between a visually impaired aspirant skater and a boxer. It was an unofficial adaptation of the 1978 Hollywood romantic drama 'Ice Castles' and the 1999 Tamil blockbuster 'Thulladha Manamum Thullum'.

This Rani Mukherjee starrer was a game-changer of sorts for Sarkar. This was the first time he attempted a sleek, fast-paced thriller. In the world of testosterone-driven Chulbul Pandeys, the female audience finally got a cop to root for in Senior Inspector Shivani Shivaji Roy.

This slice-of-life film marked Kajol’s return to Bollywood after a hiatus of three years. The family drama was also Sarkar’s last Hindi film. Sarkar was back to doing what he does best with this film: exploring the complex dynamics of relationships. The movie revolved around the fractured relationship between a possessive mother and her long-suffering son.